# Help me respond to an anti-Muslim forward **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 21, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609 "2009-10-21T15:02:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/21 "2009-10-21T21:18:07Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > Thanks for the Snopes link and all the comments. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Most of the time I do just ignore the forwards, but this one was just too egregious. > > In general, my aunt’s a caring person, but I think she’s been watching waaaaaay too much Fox and getting too many emails from other conservatives, and she just takes it all at face value, a bit naively believing it all. Why would the nice reporters on Fox lie to her? So I guess part of my reason for wanting to email her is to show her that there IS another side and that we’re Christians too. (Maybe not the \*right kind \*of Christians, but that there are people she knows who feel very differently than she does.) Send her an email that says something like: Dear Auntie, I love you and thank for all the emails you send. I know you are trying to spread good. I have a problem with \ email. I felt it was very hateful. I know you aren’t like that at all. Some bad people, who are Muslim, do bad things. (Cite her examples.) But, some bad people who are Christians also do bad things. (Cite the things people have talked about. ) In each group, some people do WONDERFUL things. (Cite the good stuff). I really don’t like judging groups of people broadly. After all, judge not lest ye be judged! How is Susie, billy, jerome…blahblahblah Love ya! Your niece, Taxicab That’s just my opinion. You get to make your point without having a fight with a sweet lady that probably adores you. Families. Gotta love 'em ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/22 "2009-10-21T23:43:32Z")
The U.S. Postal Service issues a stamp each year for Christmas (two- secular and religious), Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Eid. Christians, Jews, Muslims, and blacks have done many bad things over the years, but they have also done many good things. This goes for many of the individual subjects of stamps as well- some of them may have done bad things, but have also done good things- that is why they are being honored on stamps. This is both my thought on it and my thought on how you should respond. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/23 "2009-10-22T02:22:29Z")
I’d go with the “Don’t Respond” advice. The recipients aren’t going to get it. Just be nice to your muslim friends. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/24 "2009-10-22T02:48:25Z")
Send her a christmas card with an Eid stamp. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/25 "2009-10-22T03:13:22Z")
I looked at the 2007 re-issue and it’s in Arabic, which I thought was kind of strange for an American stamp. I would have expected “Blessed Festival” in English but then again the only people interested in it would probably want the Arabic version and the calligraphy used is visual poetry. To the Op. The problem with the letter is that it is based on real world events, which are directly linked to the Islamic religion. It is the elephant in the room and acknowledging the reality of this is not ignorance personified. It is fair to say that most women in the United States would find the practice of the religion in places like Saudi Arabia intolerable. This same mindset does not look favorably on Western Society and has spawned the events posted in your email. Your response can acknowledge the reality of the list while showing that it is not a function of the religion as practiced in countries such as the United States. We are the melting pot for the world like no other. The stamp is one of many that people use to mail out their holiday cards and is not an endorsement of the crazy people dragging down an otherwise peaceful religion. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/26 "2009-10-22T03:28:48Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Yes, there’s a stamp honoring Islam. There’s a stamp honoring every religion in America, up to (and possibly including) Pastafarianism. … There are stamps for the Juice, the Hondas, and The Nabiscopalians too. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/27 "2009-10-22T05:28:31Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Nabiscopalians Egads, it’s happened. Someone on the Straight Dope has used a word not even Google has heard of. You get a [del]cookie[/del]whole box of oreos.\* \*Redeemable at participating locations. May substitute other Nabisco product. You pay the difference between the cost of this and the product (i.e. all of it. I got no money) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/28 "2009-10-22T13:07:37Z")
I had to really stretch myself for that. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/29 "2009-10-22T13:49:07Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Yes, there’s a stamp honoring Islam. There’s a stamp honoring every religion in America, up to (and possibly including) Pastafarianism. It would be very strange if we _didn’t_ have an Islamic stamp. There are Hindu stamps? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/30 "2009-10-22T14:14:20Z")
Okay, a cursory Google search indicates one’s in the works- there are a bunch of articles about a petition for a Deepvali stamp. I’m sure it will go through. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/31 "2009-10-22T18:26:22Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I looked at the 2007 re-issue and it’s in Arabic, which I thought was kind of strange for an American stamp. I would have expected “Blessed Festival” in English but then again the only people interested in it would probably want the Arabic version and the calligraphy used is visual poetry. Besides the Islamic calligraphy, the stamp contains the word “Greetings” in English (as well as “USA 44,” of course). ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/32 "2009-10-22T18:30:53Z")
Thank you for the information. Please permanently remove me from your email list. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/33 "2009-10-22T18:45:52Z")
My cousin has always been kind of a nutball. He tends to be attracted to things that most people have no interest in and finds obsessions in places most people would never look for them. A few years ago his obsession was Hitler. “Hitler was an amazing military leader!” he said. He started reading all he could on the subject and immersing himself in WWII information. He signed my birthday card, “Happy Birthday, Love Hitler” in 4 separate places. Shortly after that I met my fiance (fiancee? I can never remember which is which) who is Jewish. Hitler never made an appearance in my birthday card again. He was instead replaced by Kim Jong Il.:smack: Anyway, maybe you should mention to her that your new best friend/boyfriend/boss/whoever is muslim. I bet she would never mention it to you again. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/34 "2009-10-22T18:49:03Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Okay, a cursory Google search indicates one’s in the works- there are a bunch of articles about a petition for a Deepvali stamp. I’m sure it will go through. Awesome! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/35 "2009-10-22T21:14:03Z")
I thought I’d post a quick follow-up. I did email my aunt back yesterday and pointed out that those stamps have been available for years and saying that Christians have done some pretty bad stuff too with some examples. Really a pretty non-inflammatory, non-angry, email. She responded in kind today, apologizing for sending it. She had found out that the stamps were from the Bush era (She was the first to mention Bush; I’d just said that they’d been around for years.), and that she realized after sending it that it wasn’t accurate. She knows that there are decent Muslims out there but sees more bad than good and wonders why the good/moderate Muslims don’t speak out against the bad parts. I’ve responded again, and I think we have a pretty good dialog going. She’s not a nutcase really. Just maybe someone who hits forward too quickly. Anyway, thanks for the input everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/36 "2009-10-22T21:20:29Z")
Wow, that was a totally unexpected result, and you have given me a little bit of hope for the world. ---
**Author:** ![Blisters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Blisters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blisters)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/37 "2009-10-23T05:54:34Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > I thought I’d post a quick follow-up. > > …She’s not a nutcase really. Just maybe someone who hits forward too quickly. I think she’s in good company. Based on (in part) my family experience. ---
**Author:** ![Aquila\_Be](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Aquila\_Be](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquila_Be)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/38 "2009-10-23T11:32:12Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > My aunt forwards a lot of conservative and/or Christian emails to me. Most of the time I just ignore them. But her last one listed a bunch of bad stuff that Muslims have done (e.g. 9/11, USS Cole bombing, etc.) and was asking “How can we honor Muslims with a postal stamp [the Eid stamp] after they’ve done all of this?” > > I feel that I need to say something because spreading hate and ignorance isn’t something I’m ok with. But I can’t come up with a well-measured, thought out, respectful response right now. I’m just pissed that I’m related to xenophobic idiots, but I don’t want to fuel the fire with an angry response. > > Thoughts? If you wish to enlighten your aunt, truthfully and honestly, perhaps it might be useful to link to a typical Islamic sermon. This sermon by Imam Tarek Fatah goes for 36.12 minutes, but it isn’t really necessary to listen to more than a few minutes of it to gain some idea of its essence. The National Post [comments on this sermon includes the following:](http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/holy-post/archive/2009/10/21/toronto-imam-calls-for-destruction-of-christians-jews.aspx) > [@](#): > > ‘Allah protect us from the fitna [sedition] of these people; Allah protect us from the evil agenda of these people; Allah destroy them from within themselves, and do not allow them to raise their heads in destroying Islam.” > > Tarek Fatah, a Canadian Muslim author and commentator, said that type of language could be interpreted as a call to violence. As well, the imam asks Allah to “damn” Christians and Jews. Here’s the link to the [Tarek Fatah sermon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hkvzlhCzC4&feature=player_embedded#) From a Doper’s POV I suppose it’s quite similar to watching a Benny Hinn sermon, except for the mindless hatred. However, even though the 36 minute YouTube feature is a borderline word salad that switches back and forth from Arabic-English-Arabic-English (mostly English) it’s really quite enlightening and entertaining (if you find psychopathic hatred amusing). More importantly, and probably more interesting, are the sixty plus comments made by Muslims on the sermon under the linked YouTube. From those comments alone, non Muslim people, or “kuffars”, as Muslims commonly refer to infidels, should be able to gain some idea of the attitude held by devout Muslims to the opinions expressed by the Imam. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/39 "2009-10-23T11:41:53Z")
> [@Aquila\_Be](#): > > a typical Islamic sermon. Please provide evidence that this extremist is in any way “typical” of Islamic sermons. I would argue that his sermon is reported in the paper under the headline “Toronto imam preaching ‘hate instead of harmony’” is in fact entirely _a_typical of the genre. The ones that I’ve attempted to read/watch are nothing like that at all - they’re usually tedious microanalysis of the Qur’an to the point of utter somnolence. ---
**Author:** ![Aquila\_Be](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Aquila\_Be](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquila_Be)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609/40 "2009-10-23T11:56:20Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Please provide evidence that this extremist is in any way “typical” of Islamic sermons. I would argue that his sermon is reported in the paper under the headline “Toronto imam preaching ‘hate instead of harmony’” is in fact entirely _a_typical of the genre. > > The ones that I’ve attempted to read/watch are nothing like that at all - they’re usually tedious microanalysis of the Qur’an to the point of utter somnolence. Well, that sounds reasonable. So, provide us with a link to a YouTube of an innocuous Islamic sermon. Bonus points if you can find one full of love and tolerance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-respond-to-an-anti-muslim-forward/514609.md?page=3)